PVP v PVE Servers, or "Have PVP Servers Become Pointless Status Symbols?"

Non-Gamer's Guide to This Post

Server (aka Realm): With the massive amount of players in Warcraft, the game splits everyone up by allowing them to choose from among many different servers, thus keeping the game running smoothly (so that, say, 1 million people don't log onto the same server and cause the game to run slowly). The servers, or realms, are identical in all of the essentials except for type: Player-v-Environment, Player-v-Player, and Role-Playing (PVE or PVP).

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The real difference of PVP and PVE servers, according to my husband, is that on one server people will leave you alone while you quest and on the other you'll be constantly ganked by ?? opponents there to make your life a living hell.

Back in the day, the only PVP you could get was to go outside and skirmish. But now, with battlegrounds and arenas, anyone can try themselves against the opposing faction in a more-or-less fair fight. So what is the point of PVP servers any more? It seems that unless you like to take your 70 to level 30 areas and mercilessly torture the inhabitants, which I don't, there isn't much for you on a PVP server.

The reasons for rolling on a PVP server as I see them are:

• You must learn your class more quickly and more thoroughly in order to survive.
• You can transfer to PVE or PVP servers, not just to PVE servers. (PVE cannot transfer to PVP.) This has changed as of Sept 2008. You can now transfer regardless of realm type.
• Status. Plenty of PVP players do not respect players on PVE servers because they have not leveled through grueling PVP conditions.

Personally, I started leveling my Draenei mage on Smoulderthorn, a big fat PVP server. And while it's nice to be on a large server, I'm not sure that PVP is right for a solitary character with no alliance friends. Trying to solo the level 70 dailies on Dustfire (Zuluhed) is hard enough -- she's constantly ganked. And Zuluhed is SMALL! I can't imagine how frustrating dailies would be on my mage, who doesn't have anyone to group with and just wants to take care of her PVE objectives unmolested.

So I made a decision -- I know how to pvp and how to learn my class properly. My main is on a PVP server and has an almost-complete season 3 set, so no one can accuse me of being a pansy for playing alliance on PVE. I'm very squeamish about killing horde because I am horde, and, most important, PVE servers are ideal for solitary players, those who don't have or even want a strong guild to belong to, and who aren't interested in wasting time on world PVP. Which fits my alliance characters to the last.

Plus, there are some fun PVP tricks to use on PVE servers, since PVE players don't always realize that they shouldn't attack someone who flags in Booty Bay.

The only problem? Which server do I transfer to?! >.